Homemade ketchup with lots of tomatoes

August 21, 1980

Ketchup is simple to make at home and ag ood way to use up that surplus of tomatoes from your garden. Here are two recipes. Adding a cup of sugar to the first recipe will further mellow the flavor and make it taste closer to the ketchup we are familiar with today.

Coarsely chop tomatoes and cook in a large kettle, uncovered, until soft, about 30 minutes. Strain them through a fine sieve, a food mill, or a tomato press, pressing through as much of the pulp as possible. Return them to the kettle, add the remaining ingredients, and cook at a medium boil until thick and smooth and reduced by about half.

Peel and slice tomatoes. Put them in a large kettle and cook, stirring, until reduced by half. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer slowly, stirring often, until thick, like jam, about 2 hours. Be careful not to scorch.